Hate's Death
by Spacebabie
Summary: A long feud will finally come to an end in 2019, but what causes the end will be of a great cost.


All the characters appearing in Gargoyles and Gargoyles: The Goliath Chronicles are copyright Buena Vista Television/The Walt Disney Company. No infringement of these copyrights is intended, and is not authorized by the copyright holder. All original characters are the property of Spacebabie

**Hate's Death

* * *

**

July _2019_

The dome shaped top of the Giulianni building was created entirely out of a shiny material that was almost as hard as a diamond and given a glossy blue metallic like coating, helping it blend in with the rest of the building. The glossy surface reflected the three forms that glided past it clearly.

Tan leather wings folded slightly, trying to slow the human like being as he glided in for a landing on top of the Halcyon Renard Foundation. Leather boots landed on the hard surface followed by the golden arched talons of a female gargoyle. Colin Canmore brushed the honey colored bangs out from over his chocolate brown eyes as he smiled at his girlfriend.

The golden female gargoyle folded her elegantly shaped bronze wings across her chest. Holly Bluestone-Destine had chosen to dress somewhat conservatively for their date to the Fried Saturn. She selected a gray silk skirt with a split in the back for her tail. It was the same shade of gray as Colin's pants. Her white cotton blouse matched his own dress shirt. Her copper colored hair was kept back by her own tiara, crafted to match her simple crescent shaped brow-ridge, but unlike her mother's hers was silver. Her earrings and three wire thin bracelets on each wrist was also silver.

"I don't know about you," Colin smiled. "But I know I had fun."

"Whenever I'm with you I'm having fun," Holly took a step closer to him. She didn't care who his father was, or about what had happened in the past. All that mattered to her was being with her true love, and possibly kissing him.

"Don't care if we had fun?" The third and fourth members of their double date had landed behind them. Theodore Maza set Pamela down. The golden-yellow lion like mutate had slicked his black mane back with a comb and a paw full of promade. Like Colin he had selected a dress shirt and slacks, but his were both black.

"They are not interested in our opinions," Pamela said while stretching her legs. The others were afraid she might not dress conservatively enough for the Fried Saturn, but she did surprise them with a simple black dress and silver heart shaped locket with matching earrings. The past few months she had been adding new clothing items to her wardrobe: Pastel camaflouge style shirts, tie dye shirts in military colors. Olive green pants, and skirts. Khaki shorts, short skirts in leather and vinyl, striped stockings, combat boots, mesh tops, spiked armbands, and heavy silver jewelry. A few days ago she had shaved of most of her ginger hair, leaving behind a mohawk and enough hair to gather into two thin braids near the back of her head. With her natraul black streaks it add more into her military punk trend."We are only mutates and not gargoyles."

"You are only half mutate," Colin pointed out to her before folding his arms across his chest.

"Yeah, yeah," Pamela rolled her eyes and swatted the air. "Do we have to talk about the technically of our species?"

"Only when you point it out," Colin told her. He spun around on the heel of his boots and spread his arms. "So did everyone have fun?"

"Only as much fun as last time." Pamela stuck her hands into her skirt pocket. "There were not any cool people there that night."

"You mean besides us of course?" Teddy raised his browridges.

She responded with her elbow brushing gently against his chest. "You know what I mean. Last time Bow Wow was there."

Holly blinked. "At least there was four of us. I would have never made it through a castle cake by myself."

"It is much better to share our dessert," Colin placed his arm around her shoulders. "Although I usually prefer sharing it with just you."

"Next time I'll order a turret torte instead," she brushed the back of her knuckles against his blond eye brows.

"Gag!" Pamela shouted while grabbing her throat. She fell to her knees adding more to the drama while Teddy mimicked the sound of a cat coughing up a hair ball.

"All right, all right." Holly slipped from her lover. "We better return home so Colin can grab onto some Mylanta."

"Hey," Colin pretended to sound hurt. "I'm not in any pain.. My pride has been wounded , but not my gut."

"The volcano soup has yet to catch up to you," she teased.

"I have yet to feel anything, and If I did I don't want Goliath seeing me take any antacid. I don't want him talk about the dangers of spicy foods."

Holly chucked. "Yeah, or my parents and their memories of Fried Saturn before it became such an upscale place."

"Don't forget everybody's favorite," Teddy snapped her fingers. "Be glad you got those wings or you will be waiting in line for a long time." Everyone joined him at the end.

Pamela was the first to stop laughing. Her eyes had caught a movement in a sky. Something was heading towards them. "Is that helicopter heading for us?"

Colin's eyes wide at the sight of the aircraft, reconizing the way too familiar design. "We have to go!" He grabbed Holly's hand and took to the air.

"What?" Teddy quickly took Pam into his arms and spread his wings. He had no idea why the quaterling was frightened of the helicopter. Unless, it was a Quarrymen copter. Teddy bolted over the side of the building, just as a lazer was fired from the canon, the non projectile striking the edge of the rooftop.

Colin glanced over his shoulder as the mutate caught up. The panic stricken face matched Colin's own as Pamela held onto him in a death grip. Behind his friends the black and gold helicopter shifted it's direction. The canon near the nose of the copter lit up with a flickering red light.

"Spread!" Colin shouted as he and Holly glided away from each other and Teddy descended. a second bolt flew through the center of the two lovers. "Everyone glide ahead." He flapped his wings trying to slow him down.

"I'm not leaving you behind," Holly cried out.

The quarterling shook his head. "I'll feel safer if you are ahead of me."

"They'll shoot us," Teddy said. "But they would most likely not shoot him. He's protecting us."

"I'll be right behind you," Colin cried as the others glided a head. He turned around to see were the canon was aiming for and shifted his body so that he would be in front of it. He continued to glide by keeping close to the others and checking back to see if the canon's aim had changed.

* * *

Leather clad hands holding onto the canons controls clenched in frustration as the winged youth glided into the center of the cross hairs once again. "Damn it!" The explicative came out in a barely audible hiss.

"Maybe we should call it a night," the copper's pilot said. "There is no way you are going to hit the gargoyle, not with her friends around."

"I'm aiming for more than one target, Junior."

The pilot cringed at the name. "Only my father calls me junior, and what do you mean more than one target."

Roscoe stared at his fellow quarryman. "You are right. I can't hurt the mutates. They were once human too and I can't shoot at the traitor. He's the boss's son." Anoyance dripped from his voice.

"You don't have to be facetious."

"I'm not," Roscoe relaxed his hands from the targeting controls. 'I'm just sick of not being able to kill all the monsters.'

* * *

The official quarrymen building was not the most pristine building in the city but it was much cleaner than the surrounding buildings. The city refused to clean it themselves, but the organization had a few members who brough home great amount of wealth from their places of business. Enough money to polish the bronze Q over the double doors and to scrub away painted messages equating the quarrymen to nazi's and members of the KKK.

The building's meeting lounge was equipped with several vinyl covered furniture, a small refridgerator, vending machine and a coffee maker. The members of the organization lounged around while enjoying coffee and a few snacks from the vending machine.

Chocolate, cookies and salty foods were the furthest things from Jon Canmore's mind. The founder of the organization's mouth was more preoccupied with mumbled the words of his speech He frowned slightly when a dull taste entered his mouth and removed a few pastel colored mints from the clear dish he kept on his desk.

He looked at the typed up speech and counted the red marks he had made with a pen. He could not believe how many changes he had to make, not because of typing mistakes but because of how dull it sounded. What had happened to the flare of his old speeches? The fountain of words that used to flow from him had gone dry and he wondered if he could ever regain his thunder. Jon knew some of the reasons why. His heart was not fully into it, not with Colin leaving home and Mariah begging him to end the hunt. Lorrie had hinted she also wanted the feud to end, for both the safety of her family and because she felt there is no need for a hunt. The only one in his family who wanted to continue was his middle child, Eddie.

"Mr. Castaway?" The knocking off the door caused Jon to sit up. "Mr. Castaway can we come in?"

"Yes you may," Jon replied, instantly shifting towards his British accent. He kept his eyes on the door as two of those he sent out to hunt entered. "Roscoe and Buckley, what is your progress?"

Roscoe removed his leather mask ending in silver painted spikes first. "We had found four of the enemy-"

"Four?" Buckley removed his mask.

The older man continued as if nothing had stopped him. "We would have fired at them, but we ran into some complications."

"What are the complications?" Jon removed the cap to his bottled water and took a drink.

"How about the fact only one of them was a gargoyle?" Buckley suggested.

"Only one?" Jon quickly set the bottle down on the desk. "What were the others?" He was staring completely at the younger of the two. Roscoe was one of his members who had been part of the organization since it formed, but he was being to doubt his honesty.

"One of them was human and one of them was a mutate."

Jon's eyes narrowed at Roscoe. "We do not hunt humans and former humans."

"I'm sorry I jumped the gun," Roscoe held out his arms and sighed. "But I'm sure I was right about that female gargoyle. It was the demon's daughter."

"Ye found one of the demon's daughters and you didn't kill her?"

The older member shook his head. He knew if his leader was reverting to his normal accent during the meetings he was getting angry. "That was the complication. Your son kept blocking the shots."

Alabaster glowed in Jon's eyes as the gargoyle bolted from his chair. "Ye didnae shoot him?"

"No. I never fired. He kept linging himself up in the cross-hairs."

"You nearly gave me a heart attack," The light left Jon's eyes. "Colin, you fool." He crumpled into his chair. "Where did I go wrong?"

"Don't blame yourself sir. Eddie is eager to be a quarryman."

Jon sighed. "I know. I just feel he is being pulled further towards their side. He is going to be hurt by them." He rubbed his semi frill over his eyes. Thoughts had been tugging the back of his mind, making him wonder if Colin was truly happy, or if the demon's daughter truly loved him. The more he thought about it the more he wanted to have a battle between himself and the demon or Goliath. "I want to save him before it's too late."

"Would killing Goliath and the others be a form of saving him?" Buckley asked.

Jon nodded, his voice growling distant. "It would solve everything, but those two are the hardest to hunt down."

"Not unless we lead them into a trap."

"You have an idea?" Roscoe narrowed his eyes at him.

"You know that one airship we want to get rid of?"

"I think I know what you have in mind," Jon rested his chin in his hands. "You want to lure Goliath into the ship and blow it up while he's inside?" He shook his head. "We have tried that before. Your father even dressed like a gargoyle to lure them into the building."

"I know that story by heart," Buckley smiled. "It will be different because there would only be us and not anyone else. We'll carefully screen each member to make sure we don't have any traitors and only use the most loyal members."

"What will we do if one of them tries to diffuse the bomb?" Roscoe asked.

"The bomb will be in a separate section, and I know how to get them to come to the trap. We use their own hatchlings as bait."

Jon's skin took on a paler shade of green at the mention of hatchlings. "How are we going to get them? The Castle is extremely well guarded."

"Not those hatchlings."

Roscoe seemed slightly confused but Jon's browridges were raised. "The ones from the subway labyrinths?" Buckley nodded. " It would be easier to get them." He slowly rose for him his chair. "Their parents would come but we will also specify we want either Goliath or the Demon, or both. I will have my battle," his voice slowly slipped back into his natraul ccent as his eyes appeared preoccupied. "One final battle, and it will all be over." He spun around, hoping they didn't notice the slip in his speech. "How do you plan on taking them?"

"Do you like A Hundred and One Dalmatians?" Buckley smiled at the other men while the wheels inside his head continued to turn, creating the perfect plan.

* * *

The door to Charlemang Bluestone-Destine's room flew open, exposing a room decorated with multiple posters of women dressed in lingerie and skin tight clothes briefly before the twenty one year old exited the room scratching his chest. His bright red hair seemed more like a headful of fire than when it was actually brushed. Bright red stubble decorated his narrow jaw, His eyes were bloodshot and had dark gray semi circles underneath.

"I didn't expect to see you this early." Colin said as he entered the hallway. "I thought you didn't have work until this afternoon." The blond teenager was already dressed to leave. Hair had been brushed neatly and the little dab of cologne he placed on was still noticeable.

"I do," Charlie mumbled. He was still wearing his pajama pants. He threw on the first shirt he could find and didn't care if he had worn it before or not. "I just need to talk with Elisa about something."

"Does it have anything to do with last night?" Colin smirked while he wiggled his eyebrows.

"What do you mean?" Charlie yawned.

The smirk did not fade from the quarterling's face. "You know what I mean." He gently rubbed his elbow against the older man's shoulder. "Everybody could hear the giggling form your bedroom."

Charlie nodded sleepily until the realization sank in. "Hey, we were not doing that. Rebecca and I were watching our favorite comedies. She wants to save hereself until we are officially mated."

"And when will that be?"

"Soon," Charlie ran his fingers through his hair. "I'm going to ask both Elisa and Goliath for their blessing before I pop the question to her."

"This is what you are going to ask Elisa about? Smart move asking her first."

"You are not saying she's the weaker half are you?"

"Not weaker," Colin chuckled. "Just less scary."

"Oh," he slapped his cheeks, trying to wake himself up. "When you think about it, yeah. I just hope her parents react better to the idea of me and Rebecca than my parents to you and Holly."

"You are not the son of the enemy. I think they are starting to warm up to me." He smiled. "Your mom's gaze went from deadly to the old stink eye and your father is much more friendly. Just gives me that look once in a while."

Charlie raised an eyebrow. "What look?"

"The 'are you sniffing around my daughter' look."

"Oh, I need some coffee. Getting ready for work?"

"I just need to get my name tag." He pointed to the direction of his room before he continued his way down the hall.

Charlie was hoping to catch Elisa alone, but he had no such luck. The quarterling, Macy was seated at the table, eating her breakfast.

Elisa Maza was finishing the last of her second cup when Charlie entered the dining hall. Her head was tilted back and the warm liquid traveled down her throat.

"Why are you up?" Macy asked. Her wings were cloaked around her shoulders. Unlike Elisa she was just starting her breakfast of eggs, toast and fruit cocktail.

"Good morning Charlie," Elisa greeted. She noticed the way he was staring at her. "Is there something you need?"

He turned to glare at Macy. "I could the ask the same of you."

"I have an interview in a couple of hours."

"For what job?" Charlie yawned again.

"Tour Guide for the brand new children's museum on Houston street."

"Good luck. I hope you don't mind, but I need to talk to Elisa alone."

"Don't go into the kitchen," the female quaterling said. "My father is in there and so is Owen. They are making their breakfasts to go."

"I hate to interrupt your breakfast," Charlie held up his index fingers. "but could you go in there and tell them to stay for a minute?"

"This is really that important?" Macy raised her browridges. "I can convince my father. Hopefully the two of us can hold Owen back." She wiped her mouth with her napkin before slipping out of her chair.

Elisa quickly glanced at her watch before staring into the bright green eyes of the weregoyle. "What is it you need to talk about?"

Charlie ran his hand through his hair while staring at the floor. " You know how much I love Rebecca? I feel for her what you feel for Goliath."

"Oh God," Elisa stood up. "She's not pregnant?"

"What?" Charlie blinked. "No, she's still a...a ...you know."

Her shoulders relaxed. "Are you planning on doing the...deed tonight?"

"No," Charlie shook his head. "I want to ask for your blessing. I want to ask her to be my mate."

"Oh," Elisa hand flew to her chest. "Is that what you want to ask. You don't have to ask for my permission or my blessing."

"I just wanted to go the right way about it."

"Have you been reading classic romance novels?" Elisa chuckled. "You have my blessing and I'm sure Goliath will give you his. I just want you to do one thing."

"Yes?"

"Go back to bed and sleep for another hour. I want you to be healthy when you become mated to my daughter. I want to have healthy strong grandchildren."

* * *

Calandra Wellington tapped her fingernails against her thigh. She could not remember where she had last seen her briefcase. She was already dressed for work, wearing an electric blue powersuit, three inch heels and nude hosiery. Her dark blond hair streaked with gray was swept up in a bun. All she was missing was her briefcase.

"It's not in my study, it's not in my room or main living room.," Her forehead wrinkled as she struggled to remember where she could have left it.

"Dalton!" She cried out her son's name as she left her room and walked around the main living quarters of the mutates and clones. "Where are you?"

"l'm in my room," the voice of her son cried out.

Calandra approached his door and knocked on it gently. "May I come in?"

"Just give me a second." She heard him scrambling around inside. "Let me put my dirty clothes away."

"I don't want to be bowled over by that stench." She teased, knowing that when he was putting away his laundry, really meant hiding his porn.

"You can come in."

Calandra opened the door to a room with a rug designed to look like asphalt. The walls were painted drab gray and decorated with several posters of models, young female pop stars, athletes and sci-fi action movies. The single bed was occupied with a teenager playing a hand held video game. He had the same dark blond hair and pale creamy peach skin color as his mother. He had a pair of leather wings attached to his back and large, four-toed, arched gargoyle feet. His ears were pointed and he had pointed horns on his head, halfway as long as his father's. He had Malibu's nose and shape of eyes and his mother's jawline and chin.

"Dalton, have you seen my briefcase?"

"I dunno," the boy answered, his eyes never moving form the game screen.

"I looked everywhere for it and I can't find it."

"Have you tried the kitchen?"

"I," she paused in mid word. "The kitchen. I haven't looked there. Thanks sweetie." She approached her son, but from the small growl coming from his throat she knew he did not want to receive a kiss from his mother. "Maybe after I get home form work." She walked quickly out of hr son's room wondering if he was going to finish his game, or fish out the magazines he had hidden.

Calandra bolted towards the kitchen and dining area checking under the table and pulling out the chairs until she found it in her own seat. She had no time to dwell on how forgetful it was on her part, not if she didn't want to be late. She raced through the main labyrinth home. Her briefcase was swinging back and forth in her hand. She didn't notice she was about to hit Maggie until the mutate had stepped out from her bed room.

"Candy?" The golden-furred lioness like mutate ducked from the offending luggage.

Calandra paused at the mention of her old nickname, a name only Maggie and Malibu called her by. "Sorry, I didn't mean to hit you."

"You didn't hit me," Maggie smiled. "You only nearly got me."

"I still should have been more careful. I wouldn't be if I had remembered where I left this." She raised the briefcase up. "Then If I knew where it was I wouldn't be rushing around and nearly injuring my friends."

The mutate couldn't keep from laughing. "Your words are moving faster than your feet. I don't think you are going to be late."

"The Halcyon Renard Foundation only has large meetings with the Step Up corporation six times a year. I'm representing the Step Up corporation. I can't disappoint anyone. Hell, I can't even talk anymore. I have to go now." She gave her friend one last smile before resumed her running.

"Good luck! Maggie called after her.

Calandra had barely heard it, but she knew Maggie was wishing her well. She called out as she continued down the paths leading to a ladder to the nearest manhole. Hopefully she will be able to catch the bus in time.

She was so busy focused on the meeting she didn't pay much attention to the men and woman that brushed by her. They looked like workmen, but she didn't remember Derek calling for any repairs or services that day. If she wasn't late she would have stopped and tried to get a better look at them.

* * *

Margaret Maza opened the door of the small closet containing the cleaning supplies and pulled out the vacuum cleaner. "Vacuum on!" She commanded. The prism shaped machine hummed to life as the bright green lights on each corner became illuminated. "Vacuum forward." The machine rolled out to her, sucking everything up in it's path. "Vacuum follow." She lead the machine to the middle of the living room and was about to shout the following command when she the droning buzz of the labyrinth entrance buzzer. "Vacuum off."

She approached the intercom next to the doorway. "Hello?"

"Gas inspector," the voice coming through the speakers spoke with authoritative tone.

"Gas inspector?" Maggie whispered while narrowing her eyes. "We didn't call anybody about the gasoline."

"We were sent by the city ma'am," the man on the other side said. "The have sent us to check the gas lines of all residences."

"From the city?" She pressed the button to display what the outside camera was picking up on the intercom screen. Three men and a woman were dressed in the official clothing off the city inspectors. They were carrying bags of equipment and the woman was holding onto a cart full of what appeared to be heavier equipment under a large black cloth. "Could you show me some credentials?"

"Sure thing ma'am." One of them pulled out a wallet and removed a card while the other one held up a work order form.

"Could you step a little closer?" She pressed the zoom button several times. The form had the official city seal stamped on the top and the screened image of the city gas line in the middle of the form. She checked the signature of the commissioner before checking the id. The photo was the same as the man holding it up. It also had the metal blue symbol of the city gas line. The last thing she checked was the ID number. She was told the fake ones had three zeros in the beginning and/or it ended with a five. This one had neither.

"Everything looks legit," she said as she pressed the number keypad on the door, disarming the lock. "I can show you where the stove and heaters are." She opened the door.

"No thank you ma'am." The only man who spoke to her said as he replaced his wallet. "You have done all we needed from you." He pushed her back before holding the door open. The female city worker quickly pulled in the cart and removed the tarp, revealing stacks of cement blocks.

"What are you doing?" Maggie tried to stand up. The lead worker responded with quick shove of his elbow into her stomach. "Derek!"

The group leader placed his hand over her muzzle. "I think you better shut up and keep still." He shoved her to the ground and opened the bag he carried. He pulled out a gasmask and several metal spheres.

"Now!"The woman had cried out. She and the rest of the phony employees had also slipped their masks. Two of them dropped a couple of the spheres. The second they impacted with the ground a mist was released from it, creating a thickening cloud.

"Dad's on a routine patrol," Teddy entered the room. He stopped short at the sight of the strangers. "What the hell are you doing?" The only answer he received was a silver sphere striking his stomach. Teddy instictedly rubbed where it had struck. It did not hurt too much, just a light sting. What he was more concerned with was the smoke evaporating from the sphere. He had no idea what it was, but he knew well enough to try to hold his breath as he barreled towards the nearest of the phony workers and struck him in the shoulder with his fist.

"Try to get the others out of here!" Maggie coughed. The smoke was causing her throat to burn and her eyes to water. She grabbed on to her neck, gagging on the rancid smoke. She couldn't see or smell where the enemy was but she could hear their footsteps. She ran forward to the nearest stepes, or she tried to run. After her first few steps she felt her energy leaver her, making her weak. Her legs felt like they were being held down by lead weights. She fell to her knees when she couldn't move another step, continuing to struggle to breath through her coughs.

"Mom!" Teddy called out weakly as he ran to where he last seen his mother before his own eyes became too watery to see clearly. He felt something strong pushed him from behind and he quickly held up his arms to brace himself for the fall. His hands and knees met there hard floor first, followed by his stomach and chest. He crawled forward, hoping to find his mother before the gas completely overpowered him.

* * *

"Maggie, wake up." The gruff voice of Derek entered Maggie's ears, registering in her mind before she felt a hand brush through her mane. The lioness mutate's eyelids fluttered before she opened her eyes. "That's my girl."

Maggie's blurred vision of her mate quickly cleared before she sat up. "Teddy?"

"Trying to wake you both up," Talon said. His silver-furred lined muzzle was twisted into a worry filled frown. "I'm glad you are awake." His right eye blinked back the tears that were welling while his bionic eye whirred. He reached out to his son's left leg with his cybernetic tail implant, gently patting him. "Teddy?" The bulb shape tip tapped against the furry limb, exiting small charges.

"Mommy?" Teddy murmured blinking his eyes. "Mom!" He bolted up. His eyes blinked at the sight of his father. "Dad when did you get here?"

"Claw and I returned a few minutes ago. What happened here?"

"There were these men with gas masks and pellets that evaporated smoke when they were dropped. It knocked both mom and I out."

"What about the others?" Maggie quickly rose to her feet. "Pamela and Dalton and the gargoyles." Her eyes widened at her own words. "They could have been after the gargoyles."

"Teddy help Claw find the others," Talon pointed at his son. "Your mother and I will join you." He stood back up on his own cybernetic legs, the silver metal ending at the knees. "How did this happen?"

"I'm so stupid," Maggie covered her face. "They said they were sent by the city and I checked their work order form and their ID. The number looked real. They both looked real."

"You're not stupid," he brushed his fingers through her hair. "They were just conniving. Whoever they were they created a new way to trick people.

They found Claw and his daughter in the hallway between the bedrooms. Pam was still in her camaflouge pajama pants and matching tan halter top. The tiger mutate ran his paws through his gray hair before pointing at his daughter, and pointed at the floor.

"I can tell them dad," Pam grabbed onto her father's hand. "I woke up when I heard the shouting and ran into the hall. These dickheads were throwing these balls around and the next thing I knew I was on my knees coughing."

"It looks like Dalton won't be able to help us," Teddy pointed towards the halfling's room. The door was wide open, leaving enough room for the stone form of Dalton to be sprawled out on his stomach.

"Maggie and I are going to see if the gargoyles are unharmed, Teddy I want you to call Wyvern. Claw, you and Pam are to search the rest of the home."

To both Maggie and Talons relief the nine gargoyles were still in place in the larger of two sun rooms. Several mirrors were set up to reflect sunlight from the city above onto the hybrids and clones while they slept during the day. The idea was inspired by movie where Brendan Frasier had to fight against an evil mummy. The smaller room next to it also had the mirrors set up in the same fashion.

"Thank goodness," Talon sighed. "They could have been Quarrymen."

"Why would a group of common thieves want to steal from our home and not the Step Up corporation?" Maggie asked as she closed the door to the sun room and opened the smaller sun room, used for a nursery.

"I have no idea. It seems like they went through too much trou-"

"They are gone!" Maggie screamed as she burst into the nursery. The five hatchlings that usually stood in cute, yet fierce poses were no where to be found. "They took the hatchlings!"

"Are you sure?" Talon brushed past her and opened the small closet used for their tiny clothing and the large toy chest to see if they were playing a game when the sun had risen. All he found was a folded up note placed in the middle of the room.

"Whats it say?" Maggie asked. She hadn't lost her look of shock.

The panther mutate unfolded the note and read from the computer print. "The took the hatchlings to an old airship that will be seen flying over the East river tonight. They specificially want to see either Goliath, Demona or both."

"Galadriel, Hollis, Harlem, Anaheim and Taelsyn," Maggie whispered the names of the kidnapped hatchlings. "How I can I have let this happen?"

"It's not your fault," Talon assured her. "I may have let them in if I were in your place instead of at the corporation."

She wiped away a few tears from her eyes. "How are we going to tell their parents?"

"The same way we'll inform Goliath's clan." He grabbed her by her waist and pulled her close, letting her cry into his chest.

* * *

The sky over the East river was nearly devoid of any activity. The only movements came from the thin layer of clouds slowly loving on wind currents underneath the stars and the triangular shaped air ship flying high above the murky water.

Roscoe stared out of the window, frowning at the emptiness. They had been flying for nearly three hours and not a single gargoyle was to be found. "There is still no sign of any activity."

"Aye," Canmore grumbled without looking up at the control deck. He kept his dark green wings folded over his chest armor. "We have about five more hours of fuel left. I think they will be here before then."

"How are the other meters ?" the human asked

"Everything is fine," he smiled. "Ten years and still running well. They donae build them like they used too."

"That's for sure," Roscoe took one more look outside the window and frowned before approaching his leader. "I have a few questions."

"Go ahead and ask."

"How many gargoyles do you expect to lure?"

"Ten at the most," Jon held up one hand. "Five at the least."

"You are hoping Goliath and Demona would be included in the group?"

"At least one of them," the end of his tail tapped the floor repeatedly. He had to have his last confrontation, just one last fight and it will be over. No mater what the outcome the hunt will be over for him.

"What if none of them arrive?"

The tail stopped. Jon hadn't really expected what would have happened if neither the clan leader or the immortal would show up. The plan was for them to arrive. He didn't want to harm any of the others. "We'll destroy those that do show up, but we'll have to figure out a new plan to kill those two."

"As long as we kill some of them."

"Aye. Could ye watch the controls?"

"Sure," Roscoe took his leaders position. "Why?"

"They are crying again." He pressed a button in the back of the cockpit and walked through the ship.

* * *

Four pairs of tear filled eyes stared at him the second Canmore stepped into the back of the ship. The tiny beast pup growled and yipped at his arrival. His pudgy body was drab green in color and his wide jaw reminded him of the large dog like blue beast of Wyvern, except that creature did not have a beak. It's head was covered with fleshy mane and had the pointed ears of a police dog.

"I want to go home," the ivory-skinned female said as she wiped away her tears. Her wavy brown hair was kept out of her eyes by spiked ridges like Goliath. Her tiny red, ribless wings ended in three claws.

"Ye will," Jon said softly.

"Why are we here?" one of the little boy hatchlings asked. He was pale yellow in color with dark hair cut short. A pair of spiral horns poked through the top of his head and he kept his bat shaped wings folded. "We didn't do anything bad. Only bad people go to jail."

"Aye they do," Jon nodded. He watched as the other two cleared the tears from their eyes. The deep blue female had wings attached to her arms and legs like a flying squirrel. Her bright orange hair was styled into pigtails. Tiny vestigle horns were above her large moist eyes.

The fifth hatchling stared at Jon with his face twisted up into a pout. He was a lighter blue shade than the webwing and had the same jovial face as the overweight gargoyle, Broadway. Only his nose was different, and his ears. Instead of fan shaped they were pointed like the others. He had a row of fleshy bumps going down the middle of his head and long wings shaped like those of a dragonfly or a pixie.

"Why are we here?" The yellow child repeated the question.

"Ye are here because we need ye to lure someone who truly is bad," Jon explained. "When they arrive they will be put in the cage and I'll let ye go."

"Really?" the blue female asked.

The weregoyle nodded. "I promise."

"Can you brings us back home?" The white female asked.

"I donae know if I can," Jon shrugged. "But I will try." He turned from the cage. He couldn't bare to look at their tiny faces anymore. At least he was going to stay true to his word. They were hatchlings, innocents that could be raised into noble warriors, but only if they were raised right.

"Jon!" Roscoe's shout cut through his thoughts. "I think I see them coming."

Jon raced to the front of the ship, racing on all fours part of the way. Roscoe was still at the controls and pointing out the side window. "How many?"

"About six or seven of them." Roscoe answered.

Jon raced over to the window and watched as seven winged forms were approaching them. His eyes immediately fell on the large lavender gargoyle leading them. He did not pay mch attention to the others with him except for one was not a gargoyle, but a mutate, and two others were female. He didn't really care about the others. He had the one he wanted. The final battle will happen that night. He was going to have to convince Roscoe to leave early before he will allow the rest of the gargoyles and mutate to escape with the hatchlings. Hopefully the human will leave before the clan remembers how they escaped from over twenty years ago.

"Turn it over to auto-pilot," Canmore commanded as he fell to the floor and slipped his talons into the large crack. He lifted up the doorway to the ships hidden storage. He waited until Roscoe and crawled down inside before he slipped in himself and pulled it closed over them.

* * *

Goliath's wings flapped quickly, trying to fight the currents that threatened to push him backwards. He reached forward and sank his talons into the side entrance. He grabbed onto the metal and tore it open, peeling it open like a scab off a skin. "Quickly," Goliath barked. "We don't know what they have planned for us."

Delilah and Eleanor were the first to barrel past him, eyes fully illinated with crimson. The two mothers wanted to search the entire ship, seeking their children and those who were responsible but they waited for the others. Malibu and Talon were the next two to enter followed by Othello, Hudson and Goliath.

"We should spread out and search for them," Goliath instructed. "Keep a sharp ear and eye out for them and for our enemies."

"Donae call out to them," Hudson advised. The old warrior leaned slighty forward and bent his knees more than the others. They felt it was because his bones were wearing out or it was doing it to counteract the balance lost with only half a tail. He was still a warrior though with cunning surprise attacks that still surpised the younger members of the clan. He inisted on accompaning Goliath along with Othello.

"Delilah, I want you and Malibu to go with Goliath." Talon instructed "Eleanor will be with my group."

Goliath nodded at him. "Hudson, I want you and Othello to go with them towards the back. Call us on the communicator when you have found them." Goliath said tugging the tiny microphone hanging from his neck and tapping against the earpiece placed in his ear.

"Becareful brother," Othello said before following the mutate towards the back.

The ship seemed deserted to the small group as they made their way through. It was way to suspicious for the mutate. They were able to break into the ship without anyone or anything attacking them. He glanced back before they entered the back of the ship. Eleanor was only focused on getting her daughter back, but both Othello and Hudson seem to be as wary as he was.

"Hollis!" Eleanor cried out the second the twin doors were forced opened and the imprisoned hatchlings called out to her. The dark green hybrid race into the room.

"Mama!" The web wing shouted. "The bars hurt. Don't touch." Her words came too late. Eleanor grabbed on the steel bars and immedatly pulled her hands back.

"Electric bars," Talon growled. "How low can they get to threaten children?"

"It didn't hurt that much," Eleanor shook her hand. "Just a slight burn and a tingle."

"You three try to figure out a way to break them out," Othello grabbed at his microphone and brought it to his mouth. "We found them. They are near the back of the ship."

"We haven't found anyone," Goliath 's voice came out form the other end. "They probably already left in their jet cycles.We'll be with you shortly."

Hudson stared at the bars, rubbing his chin. "I remember Lexington told me what had happened to him when he, Demona, Brooklyn and Goliath were held prisoner of the hunters. Lexington was able to find the current leading from the floor to the bars." He glanced at the ground. "Now I don't know if there is a system of smaller wires right on the underside of the tiles."

"Would this ship have them?" Eleanor asked. "It's not built by Cyberbiotics."

"Most of the ships have them."

"Those were put in four years ago," Othello held out his arms, pointing at the walls. "This looks like it was built ten years ago." He lowered his arms when he heard the sound of Goliath and the others approaching.

"What are you discussing?"" The lavender gargoyle asked as soon as he, Malibu, and Delilah entered the area.

"How to turn off the electricity to the cage," Eleanor pointed to the bars and hatchlings. She was nearly shoved aside by her clone sister.

"Galadriel!" Delilah shouted when she saw the ivory hued hatchling. Galadriel tried to reach out to her, but quickly retracted her arms. "We are going to get you out of there."

Eleanor quickly grabbed her arm. "Don't try to break them out with your bare hands. They have a small charge."

"How are we supposed to get them out of there?" Delilah asked. She felt her own eyes filling with warm tears at the sight of her hatchling locked up like a criminal. She wanted to at least reach through the bars and comfort her daughter with a few hair strokes.

"Your uncle Derek is thinking up a plan." Talon tapped the metal frame around his left eye.

"Were are all thinking of an idea," Goliath said. "This does seem familiar."

"What is Talon's plan?" Othello asked. The only reply he received was the sound of the two doors slamming together. He, along with everyone, turned toward the entrance. "I thought these were not operational."

"They shouldna be," Hudson pounded his fists against the doors before he tried to sink his talons through and pull them apart. "They are locked tight."

"Talon, can you short it out?" Goliath asked.

The mutate nodded. "After I break the kids out. The floors made not have a shock box under each tile, but they may have an alarm. I'm going to do a tail sweep." He brought the bulb part of his tail down over the floor and brushed it over the tiles in the middle of the room. A small humming sound was heard as tiny sparks flickered around the tip.

* * *

The two Quarrymen had crept up beind the gargoyles, moving at a stealthy and steady pace. The waited until they were preoccupied with the hatchlings before they shut and locked the doors and set up the two heavy bombs, both rectuangular in shape with a dark green metallic paint job, they had kept in their hiding places and set them up at the sides of the walls, right next to the freshly locked doors. Roscoe also carried with him a large pack contaiing his easy to assemble hang glider.

"Glad the remote locks are still working," Roscoe said as he pressed the buttons on his bomb's keypad, setting the time. "I think ten minutes will be enough."

"I was thinking fifteen or twenty would be better." Jon set the time on the bomb in front of him.

"All we need is ten minutes for me to get my hanglider set up and enough for us to get far enough away before the explosion."

"Need more time to get the mutate and the wee ones out."

The human raised his eyebrows in disgust. "What?"

"We have to get the innocent ones out," Jon stared at him. "Did ye pack any weapons?"

"I may have something," He reached into his pack, trying to feel around for the other item he had packed. "Why are you calling those monsters innocent?"

"Because one is a former human, like myself, and the others are just bairns." He turned to the bomb. "They just need to be raised properly. That should be enough time." He turned to face Roscoe. To his suprise his second was standing right next to him with his quarryman hammer raised high above his head. "Roscoe, what the he-" He never got to finish is sentences. The last thing he saw before darkness overtook him was the sparking metal hammer striking down on top of him.

"You can die with the rest of your kind," Roscoe spat before he shortened the time on both bombs and removed his glider pack. He raced towards the side entrance and quickly set up the material, unfolding it and slipping the differnet bars into the right connections.

* * *

The thin metallic tail of the mutate lifted from the floor after the final sweep. "That part is done."

"Eleanor," Goliath said. "I'm going to need your bracelet." He stared at the twisted band of copper encircling the green hybrid's wrist three times. He sunk his talons into the ground. "Hudson, Othello I'm going to need your help."

"I'll help too," Malibu offered before he reached down with Othello to tear up several of the pale silver tiles and flipped them over.

Goliath took the spiral bracelet the hybrid had handed to him. "I want you and Delilah to get ready to break the hatchlings out." He pulled the ends of the bracelet, straitening it into a crooked band of metal and placed it over the exposed wires. "This should work like last time." He watched as sparks formed around the band causing it to turn red from the heat before melting slightly.

Delilah and Eleanor watched the smoking metal for a brief second before they grabbed onto a couple of bars. With a quick pull they managed to spread them apart, creating an opening wide enough for the hatchlings to slip through.

"Thank you mama," both little girls chimed at once.Their mothers swept them up from the floor and held them close to their chests.

"Can we go home now?" The blue male hatchling asked.

"Sure we can, Harlem." Talon gave the boy a gentle pat, careful not to hurt his hand on the row of fleshy bumps. "Just need to get out of here." He placed his hand over the doors where the lock would be. "This should be easy." He released a large amount of energy from his body, focusing on the lock. He didn't stop until he could smell the scent of burnt wires.

"We don't know how many will be waiting for us," Goliath said as he slipped his talons through the crack between the doors.

"We didn't see anyone," Malibu said. "Were they hiding?"

"They were hiding too well," Goliath grunted as he pulled the doors apart. He was ready to face down several armed soldiers, robots, or even a giant lazer canon. An unconscious gargoyle lying on the middle of the floor was not was he expecting. "Canmore," Goliath growled.

"Is he hurt?" Harlem ran over his side, only to be stopped by Malibu. "He got hurt too hard and went to sleep?"

"Look's like somebody hurt him," Malibu agreed.

Hudson bent down next to Jon's body and carefully gripped his shoulders and neck, searching to see if anything was broken. "He's breathing, and I feel a pulse."

"Uncle Derek, look." Delilah noticed the large metalic boxes with black, blue and yellow wires coiling down over the top. She was certain they were not there before. Her eyes narrowed at the digital clocks counting backwords. "Bombs."

"He was nice to us," Hollis spoke up. She tried to sit up higher in her mother's arms as she tried to get a good look at Canmore "He said he was going to let us go. The other one was mean."

"What other one?" Eleanor asked as she adjusted her daughter in her arms.

"The human. He called us monsters. The green gargoyle called us wee ones and bairns."

"We don't have much time," Talon gasped before picking up Anaheim. "We need to get the children out of here."

"Bombs?" Goliath looked away from Canmore. His eyes latched onto the box shaped devices. There were only four minutes left. "Talon you and the others get the children out of here."

"What about you?" Othello asked as he grabbed onto the beast pup.

"I'll be with you shortly." Goliath gave his rookery brother a determined look before he placed a hand on Hudson's shoulder.

"We cannae leave him lad," The elderly gargoyle said as he slipped his arms under the weregoyle's body.

"I'm not about to, not when he's helpless. I'm offering to carry him for you." He took Jon into his arms and hefted him up, trying to steady the weregoyle.

"Thank ye lad," Hudson stood up and cringed. His hand quickly grabbed onto his back.

"Hudson, are you hurt?"

The elderly gargoyle shook his head. "I'll be fine, just go." He opened his good eye first watching as Goliath was slowly running towards the entrance, his head glancing over his shoulder. "I'm coming." He hobbled forward. Even if he wanted too, even if he tried he would not have been able to run on all fours. They jarring pain in his joints made it impossible to at top speed. He did not worry too much. He would be able to leave the ship with a few minutes to spare.

Goliath watched Othello and Talon before the two of them leaped out of the ship. He felt a sharp weigh being removed form his shoulders, giving him the relief of the hatchlings being safe. "There are many reason why I can't leave you behind," Goliath glanced at Jon. The weregoyle was still not responding. "I can't leave my teacher behind either." He turned his head. "Hudson?"

"I'm on my way," Hudson was right behind him. "Get the lad to safety."

Goliath felt slightly releived as he jumped and spread his wings. The leather strutted across the the long hollow bones tented when they were ensnared by the warm currents, causing the whole wings to jerk slightly. The sharp cramp was intensified by Canmore's added weight. Goliath followed in the direction of Talon and Othello,looking back once more to see Hudson jumping out of the ship, his own wings stretching out. A small smile crossed Goliath's face. His former leader may have trouble walking and running, but once he was in the air he could quickly catch up. Goliath shifted his own wings trying to glide faster to the others.

Goliath had no idea how much time he had left when he jumped from the aircraft, and when he heard the large explosion behind him and felt the tremendous heat on his back he wished he counted back along with the clock.

Goliath wanted to turn back and see if Hudson was having any trouble but he had to focus on getting Canmore to the nearest buildings before he could check on his friend. The thought made him try to glide faster, hoping the heat was providing extra thermals to send him towards the destination faster. He depended on speed to make it through but was also careful as he glided to avoid the debris that rained down on them. He did not notice the large chunk of metal flying towards his head until he felt it strike the back of his head.

Talon glided closer to Othello the second he heard the explosion. He had a feeling the others were going to need his help. "Can you carry two of them?"

"I've carried three of these," the ebony gargoyle answered him.. He shifted Taelsyn to his right arm and reached out for Harlem.

Talon wasn't the only one turning to help the others. Delilah had already handed over Galadriel to Eleanore before she turned around and nearly glided past Talon. They both watched in horror as Hudson first began to plummet to the ground and Goliath being knocked from behind.

"Go help Hudson," Talon ordered before he aimed straight for Goliath and Jon. He grabbed the clan leader by the left wing, hearing a small snap of bones breaking as he grabbed Jon by the left wrist. The weight of both of them made it difficult for him to stay in the air and glide comfortably and he knew Goliath was going to feel the pain in his wing soon enough. The mutate lifted Jon high enough for his implant to wrap around his waist. Feeling the weregoyle was secure he grabbed onto Goliath's arm and hefted him up higher.

"Can you carry them?" Delilah asked as she glided past her uncle. The elderly gargoyle was held tightly in her arm. The end of his tail stump was burnt leaving copper colored blisters and tatters of loose skin. The backs of his wings were also covered with bubble like blisters and there were a few holes through the leather. One hole was so large it cut through the rib. Blood was trickling through cuts and puncture wounds covering his back, arms and legs.

The two gargoyles Talon carried were as almost as injured. Goliaths back, wings and tail were covered with small bleeding cuts. There were burns, but they were not as severe, except for a few patches on Golaith's tail where there was some blistering.

Jon had a few cuts and burns on the back of his calves and tail, but the bump on his head was the only severe injury he suffered.

"Still as heavy," Talon glided in a steady matter. "Not as awkward though." He felt the wind pushing against his wings and bringing him higher.

"We have more help," she pointed at the building the others had landed on. Othello, Malibu and Eleanor had already deposited the hatchlings to saftey and were gliding towards them. In the further distance the could make out four more gargoyles heading straight their way.

* * *

The first thing that registered in Jon Canmore's mind was the radiating pain he felt on the right side of his head near his temple. The second thing were the two sounds that were very audible to his large ears. The first was a sharp beeping sound that seemed to occur once every second. The other sound was the soft sound of a woman sobbing. Jon slowly opened his eyes as his mind woke up. He felt cloth gauzes wrapped around his head and blankets over his body. The place he was in had a strong sterol fragrance of disinfectant.

"Mom?" The voice belong to his son, Colin. "Mom he's waking up."

Jon's vision cleared as a woman with dark red hair, lightly streaked with silver sat up from her seat next to his bed.

"Lorrie?" Jon spoke.

"Jonny?" Lorrie blinked the tears that fell from her brown eyes. "Mariah, wake up!"

Jon noticed movement behind his wife's shoulder as his youngest child sat up in the large chair she sat in. The thirteen year old rubbed her light blue eyes before bolting out of her chair. Her blonde ponytail bounced behind her.

"Daddy!" She cried as she raced over to his bed side. "You going to be OK."

"Aye," Jon held out his hand. Both of her smaller hands fit inside. He sat up, trying to ignore the blinding pain he felt in his head.

"Don't sit up too fast," Colin said. The youth was standing in front of Jon's hospital bed. Hospital bed? He was in a hospital. It made sense now. The beeping was a heart rate monitor.

"Colin I want you go find a doctor and tell them your father has awaken."

"I'll be back in a multitude of jiff's," Colin said as he raced out the room.

"Multitude of jiffs" Jon felt his wife gently rubbing his arm. "Am out of the loop? Have I finally lost track of the slang of the youth?"

"You nearly died," Lorrie said slowly. "You nearly died and all you can think of is being out of the loop?" Her mouth was pulled into a smile.

"It's a math term," Mariah explained. "Something he learned at college."

"How did this happen?" Lorrie's hands replaced Mariah's. "All we heard was they found you unconscious in that trap you set up."

"I was setting one of the bombs. I remembered I wanted fifteen to twenty minutes so I would have time to save the mutate, most of the gargoyles and the hatchlings and then Roscoe-" His mouth was frozen in shape of his quarryman's name for a full second before moonlight took over his eyes. "Roscoe," the name was snarled out. "The bastard betrayed me. He struck me with one of the hammers and left me for dead."

"Oh god," Lorrie started to shake. "I knew something like this would happen someday. This is why I told you to quit years ago. This is why I asked for it to end when Colin moved out." Her fingers gripped hard on Jon's hand while the tears were reforming. "Eddie!"

"Where is Eddie?"

"He's still at Sam's" Mariah said. "He's spending the night."

"I thought he was in danger."

"He may be in danger," Lorrie said. "He still wants to be a Quarryman. He wants to be a Hunter. Your putting the both of you in trouble when you continue this hate."

"Ye donnae understand. I have to continue. I'll get rid of Roscoe." He had to continue until he had his final battle and then if he survives he will try to convince Eddie the hunt is turley over.

"What if someone else tries to kill you? You may not be as lucky this time."

"Do you know where we are, dad?" Mariah asked, trying to keep an accusing tone from her voice. "We are at Wyvern."

Jon blinked at the mention of the castle. "What?"

"The gargoyles brought you here. When we arrived Colin told us Goliath was the one who carried you to of the ship. Goliath saved you."

"I believe ye."

"You believe her and you still are going to try to lead a group of people who hate gargoyles." Lorrie stared into her husband's eyes with disbelief. "It has to end."

"It cannae end."

"Why not. You don't even feel the hate anymore. You don't want to blame Goliath or Demona."

"Because it's too late fer me," Jon sank back. "Its too late fer me to apologize. I want to mended fences but they hate me and it's understandable. The only way out is death. I dug myself too deep."

"That would only mean your talons struck solid stone." Jon sat up to see a man dressed in a neatly pressed black suit. The silver color of his hair matched his neatly trimmed goatee and the rich deep brown of his eyes sparkled warmly. The man wasn't alone. He had followed Dr Sherman Jones and Colin into the room along with the golden daughter of the demon and her father, Matt Bluestone.

"I guess you can say that, Mr. X." Colin nodded.

"How are you feeling Jon?" Jones asked him. The doctor examined the x-ray photo in his hand. "All you have is a nasty bump on the head and a concussion. You could be thankful for your hard gargoyle head you were not hurt much worse."

"Aye," Jon agreed. "It's not going to effect me when I turn back into a human is it?"

"You will just experience your usual pain, plus a headache that may be considered close to a migrain.

"Will painkillers help?" Jon asked while fingering the left side of his bandaged head. he wondered if his styracosaurus-like spiked frill had given the medical team any trouble.

"We don't want to give you anything that would send you to a deep sleep."

"What about Tylenol?" Mariah suggested.

"I'm sure the castle has plenty of extra strength Tylenol and Advil," Jones smiled at her. "Just as long as it's also a non drowsy formula." He picked up his medical clip board and slipped it under his arm. "I'll leave you folks alone ."

"I'll monitor how many hours he sleeps." Lorrie placed her hand on his arm.

"You look tired , mom." Colin shook his head. "Mariah and I could take turns."

"I'll watch too," Holly stepped forward, taking her place next to Colin. "It can be the start of the beginning."

Jon's browridges lower slightly. "Beginning of what?"

"A new life," Xanatos raised his expensive black and gold cane and the tapped the end on the floor. "Or turning over a new leaf, mending the fences or climbing out of the hole you dug yourself into."

"I cannae," Jon shook his head. "I donae deserve it."

Xanatos opened his mouth, ready to say something, but stopped when Matt held up his hand.

"What do you really want?" The golden gargoyle asked.

"I want my family to be safe and well provided for. I want my city to be protected. I want those hatchlings my men kidnapped to be safe. I want to thank Goliath fer saving me and tell him I'm sorry for what I have done and my wings ache to glide wi me own kind."

"The hatchling are fine," Colin said.

"Then ask for forgiveness," Matt ordered at the same time.

Jon smiled at the news his son gave him. "Thank God. I would ask, but who would forgive me," the green weregoyle sighed.

"I forgive you," Holly said. Her steel blue eyes shone with sincerity.

"Thank ye," Jon's smile was brief, lasting only for a few seconds before he broke down into sobs. "Oh lass, I was wrong about ye. Ye make Colin happy. Ye truly love him and he loves ye. I cannae ever hate someone me children love. I'm sorry."

"It's O.K. Mr. Canmore. Maybe we can play a few games of card on my watch?"

"I'd love to play wi ye, but I canne play poker wi a minor," his eyes met with Matt's. "Especially with her father nearby." He watched the golden gargoyle as Matt smiled

"Not even go fish?"

"I donae have to worry about that."

"No you don't," Matt chuckled. "But Holly, you are still a growing girl. You are going to have to decline."

"Why?" Her eyes narrowed and her mouth twisted up into a pout. "How come?"

"You are still a minor," Matt crossed his arms. "And you will follow my rules. You are not violating your bedtime, not tonight. At ten o clock you are going to bed."

"But it's summer!"

"I mean it."

Holly clenched her fists while glaring at her father for a second. "You are so not fair. I want to get to know Mr Canmore even better."

"I understand," Jon smiled. "Even though I wanted to get to know her better I know it is best fer her to get plenty of rest. It's the same reason why Mariah isn't allowed to watch."

"I'm not allowed?" Mariah blinked. "I'm not a child anymore."

Xanatos brought his cane down against the floor. "Holly, why don't you show Mariah and Mrs. Canmore where they will be sleeping?"

The female gargoyle knew when she had been defeated. "This way." She gestured to the other women in the room before she slowly lead them out of the room, pausing only long enough to give Colin a kiss on the cheek.

"It looks like we can play a few rounds of poker," Matt smiled.

"It was a knee jerk reaction," Jon laid his head back and stared up at the ceiling. "Yelling at yer daughter. I thought I still blamed Goliath and Demona fer everything. It was Colin's moving out that made me realize I donae hate them anymore."

"Did I hear that correctly?" Xanatos reached up and rubbed his hear. "Detective, your hearing is better. Did he call your mate by her name?"

"You are not imagining it, Xanatos." Matt smiled briefly before raising his brow ridges questionably. "If you had stopped hating them a few months ago why didn't you end it then?"

"I felt I was in too deep back then. I still feel that way now. In a way I was still suicidal and more importantly I feared what the Quarrymen would do to my family, the former humans and the humans who defend gargoyles."

"So you risked the lives of several hatchlings, and allowed them to hunt down my daughter?" Matt roared, his eyes illuminated with white radiance.

"Detective," Xanatos stored forward and placed his cane against Matt's stomach. Colin stood in front of his father in a protective stance. "He did not want to hurt them."

"He wanted to hurt Othello and the others."

"Nae," Jon sighed. "Only Goliath would have died, or me. My ultimate plan was to wait until Roscoe had left and I would have turned the bombs off. Released the others and challenge Goliath to fight to the death."

"Dad?" Colin stared at his father.

"Tis true. I hope the others are not hurt."

Xanatos lowered his cane from Matt. "The only ones injured are Hudson and Goliath. Goliath had woken up, but we are not sure about Hudson. Talon pulled a muscle, but that is the only minor injury. The other gargoyles you captured received no injury what so ever. The hatchlings have been asking about you."

"They hate me," Jon squeezed his eyes shut.

Xanatos shook his head. "They want to know if you are going to be okay. They are being informed right now."

"Goliath and Hudson donnae deserve to be injured," a tear rolled down Jon's cheek. "I don't know how to tell them I'm sorry."

"With words," Matt said. "Words like the ones you have been using."

* * *

Dr. Jones had returned to check on how the other patients were doing and admired the determination and the stamina of the younger doctor working along side him. Dr. Brett Yale had worked like a dynamo the second the injured gargoyles were brought to him. While Jones was ordering x-rays and bandages for Goliath and Jon, Yale was ordering blood for the elderly gargoyle and removing shrapnel from his back, limbs and wings. Yale'hands flew across Hudson's body with a careful speed and intricate presision.

Jones helped him after the other two were treated and inserted the needle of the bag of donor blood into his arm sutured up the cuts and treated the parts that were burned. After he checked in on Goliath and Jon he returned to Hudson's bed where The gargoyle was sleeping peacefully.

"Not much more we can do for him from this point," Yale said while checking his vitals. "We just need to watch him and hope he makes it to dawn."

"Stone sleep shall cure most of his injuries." Jones nodded. "He may feel tired though."

"We'll we can't let him sleep the following night."

"One thing about gargoyles you don't under stand," he lead the other man out of the room. "After they wake from a concussion they only need to stay awake until dawn."

"Really?" Brett raised his honey colored brows. "I know they heal fast, but I didn't know they healed that fast."

"This has been the first gargoyle concussion you have healed."

Yale glanced at his patient and at the older doctor. "I guess you would know more about the subject."

"His family is waiting outside. We can give them the news."

"You tell them," the younger doctor suggested. "I'm going to stay here with him."

Broadway was the first to notice the door to the infirmary open. The portly gargoyle rose from his seat and lumbered forward. "Is he?" He couldn't finish the question.

"Your friend is resting," Jones said, hoping his tone of voice was soothing enough for the gargoyle, yet had kept his smooth factual manner he used whenever he gave a diagnosis. "The surgery is over and all his wounds have been treated."

"When can he see him?" The other adult male gargoyle asked. He looked like a younger version of Hudson, the only few differences besides age was his coloring and hair. His skin was mustard yellow and his eyes were red instead of white. His dark beard was trimmed in the form of a soul patch and his hair was kept in a ponytail.

"Probably tomorrow night," The doctor maintained eye contact with the other four gargoyles. The lavender female had joined her mate after she learned her own father had woken up and brought along their tan son. He had the same shape of nose , style of wings and fan shaped ears as Broadway and the same hair color and texture and vestigle horns of his mother. The hatchling was playing along side of Anaheim.

The forth adult of the group kept her eyes on the hatchling. Dark hair was stiled into a classic page boy bob accenting her round face. She was the same shade of yellow as Anaheim and had the same shape of wings. A pair of spiraled horns crowned the top of her head and the end of her tail ended in a V shaped split.

"He just needs stone sleep?" Angela asked.

"He'll be good as new by tomorrow," Jones replied. "I'm going to stay with him until sunrise." The older doctor smiled at the small group of gargoyles before he retreated back towards the emergency room.

"That will be soon," Broadway said. "There are only a few minutes left."

Jones nodded. "Well I-" the beeping of his watch cut him off. He raised and quickly pressed the button to get tot he medical alert information. "I have to go." He spun around and raced to the room he had recently left, the questions asked by the patients family were unheard.

* * *

"When did he flat line?" Jones asked the second he returned to the emergency room.

"A few seconds ago," Nurse Sandy Quince said. She was preparing the crash cart. Dr. Yale was slowly injecting a shot of a Lazarine, a new drug that was more powerful than epinephrine, into Hudson's chest. "I was here the whole time with Yale and he was doing fine."

"It's having no effect," Yale said. "Ready the paddles."

Jones grabbed them from Sandy's hands and placed them over Hudson's chest. "Give me twenty." A surge ran through the flat metal plates, causing the body to jump. He did not have to look up to know the gargoyle hadn't responded. "Forty." The paddles were replaced over the skin. Still there was no sign. "Sixty."

"Maybe we should repeat forty." Yale suggested.

"I'm going to have to repeat sixty," Jones said and placed the paddles against the gargoyle's skin. There was still no reaction. "Damn it."

"One more minute and we are going to have to call it."

"One more minute and it will be sunrise."

"Sherman, we can't keep doing this."

"Yes we do," Jones snapped before setting the paddles aside and placed his fists on top of his patient. "One , two, three, four."

Yale shook his head and sighed. "Time of death is at six o five am."

"No," Jones shouted as he continued to push, ignoring the snapping sound of the old gargoyle's ribs. He felt the hand's of the younger doctor on his shoulders but did not back off until he felt the soft flesh hardened into stone. "Sunset he will be fine."

Sandy looked up at Yale and felt her eyes mist over when he shook his head. "Not if he doesn't wake up."

"He will wake up," Jones leaned against the statue. His arms had to steady themselves before he could leave.

* * *

The emergency room containing Hudson was quiet during the day. The medical team had left the lights off, eveloping the room in complete darkness. Jones was the only one who stood outside the door, watching over the room until Yale ordered him to get some rest. Another nurse took over his post. The second she sat down at the small cube shaped desk next to the room she pulled out her pink wireless laptop. It had been a few days since she read her friends online diaries and wanted to update her own. She didn't look up from her miniature monitor until she sensed a presence in front of her.

"May I help you?" She asked as she sat up. The two men who approached her were clearly father and son. Both have the same regal noses of a predatory bird and well defined cheekbones. The younger man's chin was a bit more curved and his eyes were a deep rich brown, unlike his fathers who's sorrowful eyes were bright blue.

"My father needs a moment alone with Hudson," the younger man said.

"Why?"

"There is a chance the gargoyle would na make it," his father sighed. "I need to say something to him before I return home."

The nurse nodded while eyeing his bandages circling his head. "Are you sure you are supposed to be up and around? You are that weregoyle Jones checked."

"Aye," Jon nodded. "That is me and I was given permission to walk around."

"Keeps him from falling asleep," The teenager said.

"Colin, could ye wait here? I want to do this alone."

Colin nodded. "I'll be right outside."

* * *

Jon flipped on the light switch as soon as he entered. The room seemed so cold, so quiet, so lifeless. He closed his eyes hoping Hudson would still be alive.

"Hello sir," Jon greeted as he approached the statue. Hudson's stone face appeared so peaceful to him. He wondered if he had already departed his body before the sun had risen. He hoped he hadn't, not yet. "I want to start off wi thanking ye fer saving my life back there. Part of me wish I had gone wi someone who I could have confessed my ultimate motive with," he held out his arms and sighed. "but I didna have anyone like that. I could have gone with someone who would have agreed to allow me to give the timers a wee bit more minutes, but I didnae do that either. Instead I went wi Roscoe, because he had more experience. I shouldna gone wi Buck, but he was in prison and his son did not have enough experience." Jon opened his eyes and noticed he was pacing around the room. Instead of standing at the of the bed he had walked to one of the far corners.

"Experience over trust. That was a smart move Jonny. Donae worry sir. I learned my lesson, but you had to have paid fer it. I should be the one who's on the brink of death, not ye. Ye are a noble race. I failed ta realize it. It took me years to admit I was wrong about ye, to fully apologize to Jason. He told me to ask fer yer forgiveness and I didnae. I was too stubborn and I didna feel I deserve it."

He kneeled next to bed and placed his hand next to the stone arm." It's all going to end now. I'm going to dismantle the Quarrymen. It would be gradual and not quick, because if ye smash a plate in one fell swoop you will have several pieces ye can glue back together, but if ye sand it down it will gradually fade away to nothing. I'm sorry fer the bad metaphor, and I'm sorry about other things. I'm sorry I didna stand up to Jason. I'm sorry I tried to fight ye in the cathedral. I'm sorry I formed the quarryman. I'm sorry fer the innocent humans I harmed in the past. I'm sorry I was a constant thorn in yer side. We could have fought side by side and I'm sorry I caused yer pain. I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He buried his face in his hands and continued to sob. He didn't stop until the desk nurse had asked him to leave.

* * *

The dust-yellow sphere of the full moon appeared jiggly to Goliath's watery eyes. The clan leader had retreated to the highest tower when he learned Hudson did not wake up. He couldn't believe it at first until he was brought before the stone body of his former leader. He couldn't believe his friend and mentor was truley dead. The elderly gargoyle had survied many scraps before, including both battels with Thailog. He should have ordered Hudson to stay at the castle, but he knew Hudson would have objected, or he would have been hurt emotionaly. It would have been better if he had wounded Hudson's pride.

"Father?" Goliath's ears twitched at the sound of Rowan's voice. "They are ready. Do you need more time?"

"Nae," Goliath's voice was weak and bordering on cracking. "I am ready." He wiped away his tears and turned around to face a younger tan hued version of himself. Rowan's dark bluish black hair was only half the length of his fathers. His wings, while similar in structure were black in color with a dark brown lining. He was not as well built as Goliath but his arms did sport a descent amount of muscle and had four slender talons plus a thumb. His large high arched feet ended in five sharp toes.

The two descended into the courtyard. Rowan immediately spotted his mother and sister, both were wiping their damp cheeks with tissues. He wanted to comfort them both, but the argument behind him seemed to deem more attention. From the sight of Goliath scowling at the two arguing gargoyles with his arms crossed Rowan knew his father felt the same.

"He shouldn't be here," Broadway hissed as he pointed at Colin. The quarterling was standing near one of the castle's entryway, trying to provide comfort to Holly as she leaned against him.

"You still have something against him because his father used to be a hunter," Lex scowled.

"His father killed my father," the eyes of the larger gargoyle lit up briefly.

"And his father is sorry. You heard what Matt said last night. He was going to let the others go. If your going to blame someone for killing Hudson you can blame the man who knocked Canmore out."

"I wish he killed him."

Goliath's eyes illumatied at Broadway's' final words. Only his son holding onto his wrist kept him from berating the portly gargoyle.

"Brooklyn is coming," Rowan pointed at the crimson beaked gargoyle as he approached his rookery brothers. "You want to see how much he has learned."

The lavander leader glanced briefly at his son as the milky white light faded form his eyes. He clasped Rowan's wrist, silently thanking him.

"For those who have fathered hatchlings you both are still acting like them," Brooklyn snapped the second he was few inches from his rookery brothers. "You are disrespecting Hudson's memory by this petty fighting."

Lexington glared at Broadway one last time before sighing. "You are right we shouldn't be fighting."

"Good," Brooklyn turned to Broadway. "I can't believe you are saying those things about a member of our clan."

"He's not part of our clan," Broadway growled. "And he never will be."

"Don't talk like that. It's starting to scare me. You are starting to sound like Demona, before she changed. You remember she was our enemy and if she can change and Xanatos can change then Canmore can too."

"He killed my father."

"I'm being to realize why we didn't recognize our own children in the past," Brooklyn ran his fingers through his hair, rubbing the back of his head. "If Hudson never told you he was your father would you be this upset? Maybe you would, but don't forget he was a father to us all. You should consider yourself lucky. Lexington's father and my father were killed a thousand years ago. We never got the same chance you did."

Broadway's glare faded. "I'm sorry."

"That is what Jon Canmore has been saying," Brooklyn placed a hand on the pale gargoyle's shoulder. "Maybe someday you can accept it."

"That time will be soon," Goliath told them. "We are about to start." He held up his hand in front of Brooklyn, signaling to his second to wait until they were alone. "You have done well my friend."

"I just said what I had felt," Brooklyn shrugged. "I don't think Hudson would want to see them fighting."

"I knew I had chosen wisely when I made my selection for second."

They were the last two to gather around the stainless steel gurney, containing Hudson's stone body. They had covered him with a thick linen sheet and placed a hammer made out of solid granite like those made centuries ago in the gargoyle's native Scotland at the foot of the body.

Goliath glanced at the hammer and sighed. "Before I begin with my respect I believe Desdemona has a few words."

The bluish gray female nodded as she stepped forward. She wore a slim back gown that hugged her body around the middle and chest and flowed freely and loosly from the hips down to her shins. Loose sleaves hung around her arms to her wrist. A crown of baby's breath laced around her horns. "Great dragon who glides along the creator, you have been by our side during the clans most critical times. You have accepted my mate and I, along with our brothers and sisters under your wings. You have watched over the other clans and our clans leader. I ask you to please accept this warrior and allow him for eternal peace. May he rest with our clan." She stared at the moon and bowed down on her knees.

"This part is painful for all gargoyles to do," Goliath spoke softly as he picked up the hammer. "It is the reason why hatchlings are not allowed to partake in it, but may observe." He glanced at the hatchling of both clans. They stood near the castle entrance along with the Labyrinth clan. While they were friends they were not part of the clan and by tradition were only allowed to be observers Even Burbank remained with the Labyrinth dwellers. "Tai, you are old enough to participate if you wish."

Thesilver adolescent sadly shook his head, causing his light blue hair to fall out of place. "I think I should stay back here." He said softly.

Goliath nodded at him somberly. "If anyone else wishes to not raise the hammer they may due so." He turned to the body. "You were my leader since I was a hatchling and always my teacher. You have taught me how to track down our enemies and study the environment to learn what had happened. Your wisdom will always be a part of me and my clan." He raised the hammer high above his head, and waited until a tear rolled down the side of his face before he brought it down on Hudson's head. With a shaking arm he brought the hammer up and smashed the statue in two more places before handing it to Elisa.

"You have taught me about the gargoyle way and how you lived a thousand years ago." She closed her eyes as she brought the blunt head of the hammer down onto two place in the middle of the the body.

"You taught me strategy was more important than strength. There were many memories from our past that were yours only. Even if you have forgotten them, they are still more than I will ever have." Brooklyn took his turn.

"You made me feel welcome to the clan," Marle said. "And helped me stay healthy when I was with egg."

"Thank you for everything. For being a leader, a teacher and father. I ppreciate the stories about my mother and sister." Broadway shook the hammer.The handle slipped from his hand. "I can't do it."

"It's okay," Angela took it from him. She brushed her knuckles agaisnt his brow-ridges. before turning to the broken body "You and Broadway both helped me ease into this new world."

"I will always remember your wisdom and your words. There was a time when some of my rookery sisters and brothers made fun of my height," Lexington said. "You told me size didn't matter."

"Thank you for teaching me how to track down clues," Rayne had her turn.

" You taought me how to fight and use a sword.My weapon skill would not be what it is," Othello took the hammer. "If it wasn't for you."

"You were many things to me and my sisters," Desdemona said. "But I felt teacher was the most suited name for you." She had to wipe her palms onto her gown before the could even take the handle. The tears she had wiped away made her grip too slippery. She had to wipe her palms on her gown before she was able to bring the hammer down onto two places.

"I have been impatient with you in the past," Demona wept. "I thought because of your age you were not suitable to lead and be a warrior. You lived longer than most gargoyles in your generation. Even with a thousand year sleep. There are not many who lived to be a hundred and twenty five."

"You were a great trainer," Matt said while he grabbed onto the hammer. "And an even better friend. You were with me when I transformed into a gargoyle for the first time. You also taught me how to glide that very night."

"You taught me how to work all the modern day forms of technology when I first arrived," Mercutio said. "You also taught me how to develop taste in movies and television."

"Thank for the stories of our parents," Cecilia had her say. "The will be more treasured than any of th stories in the castle library."

"Thank you for teaching me how to be a gargoyle," Gloria brought the hammer down twice before handing it to her husband.

"And thank you for teaching me how to fight like one and be a better warrior." Jerry added.

"I don't really have much else to say," Frank searched deep into his mind and heart, trying to feel for the right words. "Except you were always there to listen. No matter what it was , even it didn't seem important, or I was just complaining as usual you were patient enought to listen. Thanks for offering an ear."

"He was a great guy," Jam agreed with her husband. " He was strong in mind heart, physical strenght and soul. He never let his age bog him down." Like Broadway she refused to pick up the hammer.

"Like my father I want to thank you for training me," Charlie swung the hammer and was about to hand it to Rebecca and thought better of it. He handed it to his sister.

"Thank you for your patience." Holly did not look into Broadway's eyes as she handed it to Colin. She did not want to see her brother in law scowl at her because she felt Colin was part of the clan and he didn't. She could argue with him another night, but that night was for remembering Hudson

"For being accepting." Colin stared at the hammer and handed it to Rowan. "Sorry. The idea of using a hammer still makes me shudder."

"I don't blame you." Rowan told him before he raised the weapon. "For being a great baby-sitter to us in the past."

"and acting like a fun grandfather," Rebecca added. "You were knot only full of knowledge but also patience."

"Now there is not much to say," Deidra sighed. The mahagony daughter of Jerry and Gloria kept her wings folded across her chest trhough out the ceremony. "For having patience for us when we were younger."

"You made me laugh when I was depressed," Macy added her words.

"You taught me to be brave," Rocky said.

Xanatos was the last to take the hammer. "You have taught me some important lessons, even when I refused to listen at the time." He knew Alex was going to blame himself when he returned from his business trip. There was a possibility he could have saved Hudsons life, but it was not a guarantee . He brought the blunt weapon on the covered pile of rubble twice and stepped back to allow Bronx to approach the table and lower his head.

Goliath approached the table once more. "When we were discovering new music we played several different songs. Hudson had said this one reminded him of the Wind Ceremonies of the past." He reached out towards the Labyrinth clan. "Eleanor, could you please sing it for us.

The green hybrid stared at the printed lyrics in her talons and cleared her throat The words she sang was a classic song by Kansas

Goliath peeled back the cloth as Eleanor sang and took a handful of the gravel that was once Hudson's body. He squeezed hard, crunching it further into more refined gravel.

The lavender gargoyle breathed in deeply before he threw the gravel over the side of the castle and watched as the particles were swept up in the wind currents.

Elisa and Brooklyn each took a large handful of Hudson's remains and stood by Goliath's side as they thrwe it into the air.

Marle followed after her mate and was joined by Angela and Broadway. As the three of them approached the edge of the castle the other adults each took some of the gravel.

The rest of the clan took their turns in scattering Hudson's remains, the last being the grown children of the humans and weregoyles.

Once the last handful was scattered Goliath breathed deeply and swept Elisa into his arms. Once he was sure she was secure he leaped over the side, his wings stretched out and carried the two of them into the sky. The rest of the Manhattan clan followed with Frank carrying Jam, Desdemona carrying Boudicca and Othello carrying Bronx.

* * *

Epilogue

There was no one in the lobby of the Quarrymen headquarters when Jon Canmore arrived. He knew by the slience and emptyness of the building and the familiar cars parked around the building a meeting was taking place. It was the probably the first meeting since the air ship disaster and he had a sick feeling who was leading it. Jon had glanced at his watch before opening the door a crack and peered inside. He had a few hours left before sunset.

"I know we are feeling the great crushing blow of loosing our leader," Roscoe said as he paced in front of a large photo Canmore taken when he was under he alias of John Castaway.

Jon cringed at the sight of the large pearly grin under the thin golden moustache, wondering why he had chosen that form of facial hair.

"Castaway is dead, but his memory lives on through us." Roscoe gave a gentle pat to his chest. "We will continue his mission and protect our people from those monsters. The Quarrymen shall be the great army of heroes it once was. We will make it grow and be an image to strike into the hearts of our enemies."

"The enemy!" Jon barked while kicking open the double doors. He had decided it was time to make his move. "Why don't ye tell them who the enemy is." He ignored the shocked expression of the people and stared only at Roscoe. "Why donae ye tell them the enemy is also those who one were human and their friends and family and roughly anyone who doesna agree wi ye."

"No," Roscoe shook his head in disbelief. "You are supposed to be dead."

"Supposed to be?" Jon snapped as he stormed towards the stage. "Supposed to be. Shouldna that be I thought ye were dead?"

"Your not dead." The words fell from Roscoe's dry lips like stale breadcrumbs.

"Aye, no thanks to ye, traitor."

Roscoe stared at the crowd. Most of them were shifting their surprised faces towards him. Did they hear his slip up. "I'm not the traitor."

Jon pointed to the side of his head. "I still have a bit of a bruise from where ye hit me and left me fer dead."

"I'm not the traitor. You are the traitor. You betrayed the quarrymen when you changed our direction. You want us to only hunt the seven gargoyles who were on that camera, plus the Demon. I went through your notes."

"Ye keep digging yerself into a deeper hole wi yer lies."

"They won't believe you," Roscoe pointed at the crowd. "Who do you thing they would rather follow. A fellow human, or a monster like you." His eyes had shifted to the crowd and had to do a second take. The quarrymen were staring him with an intent of murder reflecting in their cold eyes. "You want a monster to lead you?"

"We follow the true leader of the quarrymen," Buckley stood up at a fast rate, nearly knocking his chair over.

"Your the monster," a woman said.

"I suggest ye run," Jon said smugly. "I'm not going to hurt ye, but I canae say the same fer them."

Roscoe took one glance at the crowd. "This is not the last." He stormed off to the back entrance, leading to Jon's office and the hallway leading to the back exit.

Jon stared at the entrance knowing Roscoe would not be able to find anything if he tried to rummage through his office. The weregoyle also knew a surprise was waiting for Roscoe when he left. The police were waiting outside, ready to arrest him.

He turned around to the crowd. "I know ye have a million questions but I'm going to have to end the meeting now since I'm still a bit out of it." He smiled at the people nodding. "We will meet the same time next week."

The next meeting he planned on lieing about being under funded a not able to provide new equipment. He would follow with the announcement of having to leave the main building and have meetings in the homes of the members. He will slowly cut out the people who continue to stay after that, finding small excuses until he wittled the last of the Quarrymen away.

The End


End file.
